June 3 - Wednesday of the 9th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

June 5 - Friday of the 9th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

(2Tm.3:10-17; Ps.119:157,160-161,165-166,168; Mk.12:35-37) "Princes persecute me without cause but my heart stands in awe of your word." The Word of God and persecution are our topics for today. On the one hand, Paul tells Timothy, "All Scripture is inspired of God and is useful for teaching," and Jesus uses a passage of Scripture (Psalm 110) to refute His persecutors and verify that the Son of God, the Word of God made flesh, is indeed greater than David – being David's Son insofar as the flesh is concerned, but truly begotten of God the Father and one with Him from all eternity. And on the other hand, Paul states categorically, "Anyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus can expect to be persecuted," and our psalmist sings, "My persecutors and my foes are many." But these two hands become one hand, working in the one Body of Christ, revealed in the passage Jesus quotes: "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool." For by the power of the Word of God in Scripture and made flesh in Christ we His children conquer with Him all our enemies… these persecutors become as so much empty wind. Brothers and sisters, never lose awe for the Word of God spoken in Holy Scripture. Be like Timothy who "from [his] infancy" knew "the sacred Scriptures, the source of the wisdom which through faith in Jesus Christ leads to salvation." Treasure this gift at our hands, "inspired by the Holy Spirit" as it is for our instruction. And I pray your teachers will always be as Paul, so faithful to the Lord in knowing His Word and living it with "resolution, fidelity, patience, love, and endurance, through persecutions and sufferings." Then your path will be straight on the way to God; then will your hearts and minds be filled with light. There are many "evil men and charlatans" about who, "deceived themselves" and "deceiving others," fail to drink of the undrainable waters of Scripture, and who avoid the Lord's cross at all costs… listen not to these. "I turn not away from your decrees," our psalmist declares, and so he finds "great peace" despite any trial. Brothers and sisters, for us who love the Lord and are like the crowd in today's gospel who "heard [His words] with great delight," "there is no stumbling block." All our persecutions but add to our ever increasing knowledge of our Savior, drawing us ever closer to the kingdom of God, where Jesus reigns forever. ******* O LORD, as we contemplate your Word, we find you – you who are Truth, you who are God… and so have great peace. YHWH, let us stand in awe of you and your Word; Jesus Himself is the Word imparting wisdom to us that by faith in you we might be saved. Lead us unto life everlasting by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And as we heed your Word, O LORD, and walk in His way, give us the endurance that comes from you; for indeed we shall be persecuted if to Him we remain true. As Jesus was led to the Cross and all His apostles as well, so will all those obedient to your Word in Sacred Scripture, all those who find life in your commands. But in you we shall ever have peace, for with you we shall ever be. O majestic LORD, far above us all, let us not be deceived by false teachers who would lead souls into sin but be ever guided by those you appoint to stand in Jesus' place and guide the Church unto glory. May your apostles remain firm in your way that all may come soon to your eternal kingdom.

June 4 - Thursday of the 9th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

(2Tm.2:8-15; Ps.25:4-5,8-10,14; Mk.12:28-34) "Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior." Brothers and sisters, "Remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, was raised from the dead." He is our Lord. He is our God. He is our Savior who speaks only truth. Listen to Him and walk in His way, "following a straight course in preaching the truth." After Jesus proclaims the greatest of all commandments today, finally, "no one ha[s] the courage to ask Him any more questions." Finally the traps cease to be set to catch Jesus in His speech and the leaders of the people "stop disputing about mere words." For who can argue with the Son of God when He makes known the clear path to God, when He exposes the heart of the law and the prophets in absolute terms? Only silence can follow such Truth. No vain utterance can stand in the face of such Love. For the command is love, and Jesus is love – and this Paul has come to preach, "even to the point of being thrown into chains." His only concern is for "those whom God has chosen, in order that they may obtain the salvation to be found in Christ Jesus." For this he preaches the Gospel unto death, that all might hear and know of the love of God… and should we not join him? Should the Church not be a speaker of the truth in love, "a workman who has no cause to be ashamed"? Should she cower to declare Christ Jesus risen from the dead and fear offending those on the path to destruction? Should she stand by idly as false gospels are preached and docile lambs are led to the teeth of wolves in sheep's clothing? Does she not care for the flock as does Paul, as does Paul exhort Timothy? Should it not be she who "guides the humble to justice" and "teaches the humble His way"? Brothers and sisters, "there is no chaining the word of God!" and there is no place for falsehood to stand in its light. God is love and we must love others. We do not love by nodding as others fall into error – this is not our call in the Lord. We must teach the truth with Jesus our Lord with "heart," "mind," "soul," and "strength," His Spirit of love and truth upon us. Then will all lies fall silent. Then will light shine. Then will His love be known and all come to the "eternal glory" He holds. ******* O LORD, teach us your way of love that humbly we might walk in it and teach it with strength to others. YHWH, Jesus is the true teacher of the faith, for He is risen from the dead – He is your Son, O God! Who can dispute with His wisdom? Who can question His knowledge, who compare with His holiness? None there is beside Him, yet send us true teachers to speak in His Name. We are prone to go astray, dear LORD, to wander from your love, which is life itself to us. We do indeed tend to forget why we're here and fall easily into sin. O send forth your preachers to remind us of your love, to remind us of the sacrifice your Son has made for us, and that He is risen from the dead. For if we forget not that He is raised for our sakes, will not your love remain in our hearts; will we not conquer sin and death and live with you in love of one another? Then let your Word come to us and make His home in us, that humbly we might worship you all the days of our life. O LORD, let us be faithful to your Word at work within us and live in your love. May all our being bless your NAME!

June 3 - Prayer to St. Charles Lwanga and Companions

O modern martyrs for Christ who gave your lives even as the early Christians, under torture by the emperor, who remained steadfast as these despite sword or fire come by the power of the king… a new age indeed you ushered in, one of mighty suffering, a time for the blood to mount up on this earth – pray, brothers in the faith, that your sacrifice not be in vain, that we shall join you in loyal service and so find the Church blessed with new growth in the Spirit. Though new to the faith yourselves when you bled and died for the Word, deeply was your foundation laid, unshaken by the threats of the mighty. Should we not be the same; should we not follow in your way, we who profess to love the Lord?

June 3 - Wednesday of the 9th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

(2Tm.1:1-3,6-12; Ps.123:1-2; Mk.12:18-27) "He has robbed death of its power and has brought life and immortality into clear light through the Gospel." It is this Gospel which Paul exhorts his "dear child" Timothy to serve, to preach and to teach "with the strength which comes from God, bear[ing] [his] share of the hardship which the Gospel entails." Paul has suffered for the sake of the Gospel – and suffers "present hardships" till the end – and he would see his favored disciple carry on in his way. And so he encourages him: "The Spirit God has given us is no cowardly spirit but rather one that makes us strong, loving, and wise." For of the life Christ brings the world must know, and who shall preach it if we don't? And so, through his letter Paul calls us all to be as he is, "an apostle of Christ Jesus sent to proclaim the promise of life in Him." Does Jesus not bear well His hardships today in our gospel? Does He not stand strong and speak of life everlasting even before those who "hold there is no resurrection"? The Sadducees question Him: "At the resurrection, when they all come back to life, whose wife will she be" – she who has married so many? Again a trap is laid, and again it is shown so futile, for what word can stand before the word of God. And that Word answers simply and directly: "When people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but live like angels in heaven." These Sadducees "fail to understand Scripture or the power of God," and so they are terribly blind in their mistaken thinking, which sees nothing beyond the present time. (Yet the present, too, they do not understand, for they do not recognize Him who stands before them.) Brothers and sisters, we are called to live like the angels of heaven, and not only to live such, but to preach this life as our Savior has done, as Paul has done, as Timothy. We must keep "our eyes on the Lord, our God," "confident that He is able to guard what has been entrusted to [us] until that Day" when we join Him who is "enthroned in heaven." And so let us "stir into flame the gift of God"; let us speak His Word of life without fear for the hardships the Gospel entails. The Light that lasts forever has come into our midst, and before Him death has no dominion. ******* O LORD, through all the trials of this world, bring us to the light of Heaven. YHWH, God of the living, let our eyes be ever upon you, let us ever remember you whom we serve… and let us ever serve you with strength and dedication, knowing it is through you we are brought to new birth and made immortal as you. O let us live with you now and forever! Why should we be afraid, LORD, of any challenge to our faith? Why should we turn away from our call to worship in your NAME? Why should we hesitate to proclaim your glory and the grace you bring us by your Son's death and resurrection? His sacrifice means life to us, and to turn from His Cross would spell our death. May we serve Him and His Gospel in confidence all our days and so come to the place He prepares for us in Heaven. All your angels and saints live forever in your holy presence, their eyes ever upon you and their voices ever praising your NAME. May we share with them in your holy life even as we toil for you on this plane.

June 2 - Prayer to Sts. Marcellinus and Peter

O blessed martyrs for the Lord, in your catacombs the faith flourished, upon your tomb the Church was built… your blood is the seed planted in the ground that has caused the growth of the tree of life; joining in the sacrifice of Christ, His great joy you knew – pray that such grace will be known to us this day, that we will give ourselves in faith to the Holy One by whom we are saved and so find union with Him in Heaven. How far His consolation is from our souls this day, for how little love we show; have our hearts not become as a tomb? Though cold and lifeless, by your prayers may our faith flourish once more, dear saints.